N1.5bn Subsidy Scam: EFCC Faults Tukur, 4 Other’s Bid to Quash Charges

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday opposed bids by Mahmud Tukur and four other defendants, standing trial in a N1.5billion subsidy scam, to quash charges preferred against them.



The other defendants are:  Ochonogor Alex, Abdullahi Alao and their companies: Eterna Plc and Ax Energy. They are standing trial before Justice Lateef Lawal Akapo of a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja. At the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, prayed the court not to entertain the submissions of the defence team led by Olaniran Obehe to quash the charges against the accused persons.

According to a statement singed by EFCC’s spokesperson Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, Jacobs argued that: “The issue of prima facie case cannot be raised until the prosecution’s case is closed and that renders their applications premature. Whether the charge was amended or not, the facts and findings are still binding in this case. My submission is that the court should dismiss all applications and I urge my Lord to so do”

Tukur’s counsel, Obehe, alongside Ebun Adegoruwa and Aderemi Oguntoye: counsels to Ochonogor and Alao respectively, prayed the court to quash the charges against their clients. Adegoruwa had argued that the charges be quashed or alternatively strike out Ochonogor’s name from the charge, while Alao’s counsel described the charge as incurably cancerous. “I pray the court to discharge and acquit the accused as they cannot be tried under such incurably cancerous amended information,” he said.

After listening to the arguments and submissions of counsel, Justice Akapo adjourned the matter to November 16, 2015, for ruling.

In a related development, the commission also on Wednesday arraigned Abubakar Ali Peters and his company Nadabo Energy Limited before Justice S.S Ogunsanya of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja  on 21-count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretence, diversion of federal government funds and forgery.

According to a statement singed by commission spokesperson, the accused persons allegedly obtained the sum N761,628,993.84 from the federal government under the Petroleum Support Fund for the purpose of importing 16,808,064 litres of petrol but fraudulently imported only 7, 953,962 litres and diverted the rest of the product and its proceeds for personal use.

Abubakar, 33, is also facing a similar charge brought against him by the EFCC before Justice Balogun of the Lagos State High Court.

The accused person as well as his company pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Justice Ogunsanya granted bail to the accused persons on the terms earlier offered them by Justice Balogun and adjourned the case to November 12 for the commencement of trial.